In Pursuit of a Healthy and Disciplined Lifestyle

Don’t over-think the brick

The pinnacle workout in triathlon training is the brick. A brick is a workout where you do two of the disciplines of swim/bike/run back-to-back. Usually this is the bike/run combo, but there’s certainly value in doing the swim-to-bike and even a full race simulation.

A triathlete client and another triathlete friend of mine told me that usually the run part of the brick is only 1-1.5 miles long, just enough to catch and train that transition part of the run. Still fairly new to triathlon I heard what they said and I think I understand the thinking but I also prefer to do as much of the run as I think my body can take. First of all of the three disciplines, running is my strongest. Secondly I know where my fitness level is and how much any given workout should be to get me ready for the two spring triathlons I’m doing this fall.

Who knows, maybe next year I see training completely differently. But right now I’m trying not to overthink the brick. Exercise science is a beautiful thing but exercise art is under appreciated. In fact just today I was talking with a client about deciding between a beginner plan and an intermediate plan. I suggested it’s better to decrease the intermediate plan (which is pretty advanced) rather than add to the beginner plan. But in reality he’s skilled enough to do either. The point is to know right were you’re at, where you’re going, and confirm with a team or a coach if your plan makes sense. Sometimes it isn’t the plan that you stick to, it’s whether or not you stuck to the plan.

Listen to your body and your mind and good things will happen. Coaches really help, too.